Air-filled sandals



April 25, 1961 sKov 2,981,010

AIR-FILLED SANDALS Filed May 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 24 I I 1)), I I I Q0 A 43 WW 421%,

April 25, 1961 H. AASKOV 2,981,010

AIR-FILLED SANDALS Filed May 13, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

AIR-FILLED SANDALS Helmer Aaskov, 8053 S. Orange Ave., Fresno, Calif. Filed May 13, .1960, Ser. No. 29,023.

2 c aims. or. 36-115) This invention relates to footwear articles, and more particularly to footwear of the cushioned type.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved article of footwear having an inflatable sole and inflatable additional portions, said article being simple in construction, being attractive in appearance, and being comfortable to wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide. an improved article of footwear of the cushioned type, said article being inexpensive to manufacture, being durable in construction, and being closely fitted to the users foot because of its yieldable qualities.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a typical article of footwear'according to the present invention in the ,form of a sandal, shown on the foot of a user.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sandal of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. j

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 4- 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the sandal of Figures 1 to 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of a modified form of cushioned sandal according to the present invention, the sandal being provided with a removable inflatable sole member.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of the form 'of the invention shown in Figure 7, with the inflatable sole member detached from the main I body of the sandal..

forward end of the sole portion and a concave heel-receiving member 15 at the rear end of the sole portion 13. The sole portion'13 is hollow, and is provided at its rear edge with an air valve 16 whereby it may be inflated with air. To provide substantially uniform distribution of the air through the hollow sole portion, the cavity of the sole portion includes a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible partitions 17 formed with uniformly spaced apertures 18, the apertured partitions 17 defining side-by-side compartments which are in communication with each other through the apertures 18.

Sole portion 13 is provided on its bottom wall with a plurality of longitudinally extending depending ribs 20 which extend for the major portion of the length of said sole portion, as shown in Figure 6, and which are substantially uniformly spaced laterally. The ribs 20 serve as nited States Patent a traction elements and provide gripping engagement of the sandal with the ground so as to insure safe footing on various types of surfaces, for example, on smooth pavement, wooden deck surfaces, or the like.

The upper 14 is also hollow and is provided at the intermediate portion of its top edge with an air valve 22 for independently inflating the upper with air. The cavity tion with each other, as in the case of the hollow sole member 13.

Similarly, the heel-receiving member .15 is hollow and is provided at'the intermediate portion of its top edge with an air valve 25 for independently inflating said heel.- receiving portion with air. The cavity of the heel-re.- ceiving portion 15 is provided with a plurality of spaced partition walls 26, each partition wall 26 being formed with a plurality of uniformly spaced apertures 27 to establish air communication between the compartments -28 defined in the heel-receiving portion 15 by the walls As in the case of the apertured partitions 17 of the sole member 13, the apertured partitions 26 of the heel-receiving portion 15 provide even distributionof air through the hollow heel-receiving portion '15; The same function is performed by the apertured partitions of the upper 14,.

It will be noted that the heel-receiving portion 15 is concaved inwardly and overlies the rear portion of the sole member 13, Whereas the upper 14 overlies the for ward portion of the sole member 13. The members 14 and 15 respectively receive the forward and rear portions of the wearers foot and secure the sandal thereto, preventing the sole member 13 from disengaging from the foot. Since the various portions of the sandal are inflated with air, said portions are yieldable and conform to the shape of the wearers foot, providing agood fit and providing suflicient yieldability to insure comfort at all times.

It will be noted that the top wall of the sole member 13 is molded to provide a cavity conforming generally to the shape of the sole of a wearers foot, so that the wearers foot will fit snugly on the top wall of sole member 13 with the forward portion of the foot received under the upper member 14- and the heel of the foot received within the heel-receiving portion 15.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figures 7 and 8, the sandal is designated generally at 11 and comprises a main body formed of rubber, or similar flexible resilient material provided at its forward end with an inflatable upper 14 and at its rear end with an inflatable heel-receiving portion 15, similar to the corresponding elements illustrated in Figures 1 to 6. The main body 11' is provided with the inflatable insole portion 13 which is provided with an air valve at an edge thereof, shown at 16', so that the insole portion 13 may be inflated with air. The upper 14 and the heelreceivin-g portion 15 are likewise provided with air valves similar to those illustrated in Figure 3. The insole portion 13 is further provided with the longitudinally apertured partition walls 17 similar to the apertured wall '17 of the previously described form of the invention. The upper 14 and the heel-receiving portion 15 are likewise provided with longitudinally extending apertured partition walls similar to the partition walls 24 and 26 previously described.

Designated at 30 is a detachable hollow outsolc which is formed of flexible resilient material, such as rubber or the like, and which is provided with an air valve 31 at the intermediate portion of its rear edge for inflating same. The outsole 30 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending apertured spaced partition walls 32 defining respective adjacent compartments which are in communication with each other through the apertures 33 of the partition walls 32, providing uniform distribution of the air in the cavity of the outsole. The top wall of the. outsole 30 is provided with a plurality of upwardly flaring anchor lugs 34 which are formed integral with said topwall and which are lockingly engageable in inwardly diverging recesses 35 formed in the bottom wall of the insole member 13'. The lugs 34 are lockingly receivable in the recesses 35 and normally secure the outsole 30 to the bottom wall of the insole member 13.

After a period of extended use, the outsole member 30, which may have become Worn or marred, or otherwise may have been rendered unsuitable for further service, may be detached, and a new outsole may be substituted 'in place thereon To detach the outsole, it is merely necessary to deflate the insole member 13 and the outsole 30,'whereby these members contract, and whereby the members are made more readily yieldable with respect to each other, so that the lugs 34 may be more easily extracted from the recesses 35. When the members are inhated, the pressure of the air in the members cooperates with the recesses 35 to provide a gripping action on the lugs 34 and to lock the outsole 30 to the bottom wall of the insole member 13'.

It will be noted that the apertured partition walls in the various hollow elements of the footwear article described in either of the modifications specifically disclosed herein provide a means for limiting the free movement of air from one portion of the hollow element to the other to an extent assuring substantially uniform distribu' tion of the air in the respective inflated elements of the footwear article at all times. Thus, the longitudinal cellu- -lar construction of the various portions of the footwear article insures substantial free flexibility in a longitudinal direction, but limits free flexing in a lateral direction to some extent by preventing too rapid displacement of air from one side of the member to the other. This provides an improved cushioning action which greatly contributes to improved wearing comfort.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved article of footwear have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising a main body of resilient flexible material shaped to receive a wearers 'foot, said main body comprising a hollow sole portion, a concave hollow upper portion at the forward end of said sole portion and-sealed therefrom, and a concave hollow heel-receiving portion at the rear end of said sole portion and sealed therefrom, said hollow portions being each provided with a plurality of spaced apertured internal partition Walls, and respective air valves in the edges of said sole portion, upper portion, and heel-receiving portion, whereby said portion may be independently inflated with air.

2. An article of footwear comprising a main body of resilient flexible material shaped to receive a wearers foot, and main body comprising a hollow sole portion, a concave hollow upper portion at the forward end of said sole portion and sealed therefrom, and a concave hollow heel-receiving portion at the rear end of said sole portion and sealed therefrom, said hollow portions being each provided with a plurality of spaced apertured internal longitudinal partition walls, and respective air valves in the edges of said sole portion, upper portion and heel-re ceiving portion, where said portions may be independently inflated with air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,304,915 Spinney May 27, 1919 1,639,381 Manelas Aug. 16, 1927 2,237,190 Mcleod Apr. 1, 1941 2,545,062 Whittington Mar. 13,' 1951 2,741,038 Eliassen Apr. 10, 1956 L w M:- 

